Jazz Auditions

Emory Jazz Auditions for new and returning students take place at the start of the fall semester in the Strickland Jazz Studio (BRB 114). Please sign up via eAudition. 

Prospective Student Audition Criteria

Prospective students should submit video recordings (via YouTube or Vimeo) of two jazz standards with different tempos and styles, showcasing their ability to play the melody, improvise, and interact within a live trio or quartet setting. You may also submit a video recording with backing tracks for each of the two jazz standards. Please see Submission Format below for more details.

• Pianists and guitarists should demonstrate their ability to comp and solo.
• Bassists should demonstrate their ability to create a walking bass line.
• Drummers should demonstrate their ability to use sticks, brushes, and mallets and play contrasting styles such as swing (medium and up-tempo), bossa nova, etc.
• Recommended tunes include: "Just Friends," "Out of Nowhere," "Time After Time," "Blue Bossa," "Straight, No Chaser," etc.
• Send video submission links to gmotley@emory.edu.

Accepted/Returning Students

All accepted/returning students must complete a live audition at the beginning of each fall semester. The audition will assess performance, improvisation, sight-reading, and ear training. It is an opportunity to demonstrate your current level of musicianship, growth potential, and readiness to participate in our program and ensembles. A live rhythm section will accompany each auditionee. Please provide lead sheets for the rhythm section in concert key. Refer to the Prospective Student Audition Criteria above for song and style selection.

We request that all jazz applicants submit audio and video files online rather than by mail. Students should submit a link to an unlisted prescreening video uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo. Audio recordings should be submitted as MP3 files.

Video Guidelines

• Title the video file as "EmoryJazzAudition-YOUR-NAME-DATE"
• You may submit up to two videos demonstrating contrasting styles
• Upload each video to YouTube or Vimeo as an unlisted video and provide viewing links via email

Audio Guidelines

• Refer to the general auditions guidelines above regarding content.
• Each song should be recorded as a separate audio file.
• Each MP3 file should not exceed 10 MB in size.
• Filename should be "last name_first initial_instrument_style" i.e. smith_j_sax_bossa
• Each audio file should be attached to a separate email to ensure delivery.